Opera quenches the thirst for better web compatibility

Release of two open source projects aims to make developers' lives easier

Oslo, Norway - February 9, 2011

If you develop or test websites and applications, OperaWatir (pronounced "Water") and OperaDriver are about to make short work out of testing your creation in Opera. Rather than time-consuming manual tests, OperaWatir and OperaDriver allow you to build automated tests that interact with your pages just as a user would, such as clicking links, entering text and submitting forms.

OperaWatir is a branch of the open source toolkit Web Application Testing in Ruby (WATIR). With the initial release of OperaWatir, all major browsers are now represented. For organizations that already use Watir for their internal testing, OperaWatir will allow them to include Opera in their range of automated tests.

OperaDriver is the backend of OperaWatir that communicates with the Opera browser. While OperaWatir is written in Ruby, OperaDriver is written in Java, and it allows developers to create automated tests using the Java-based JUnit testing framework.

OperaWatir and OperaDriver are the newest releases in Opera's ongoing drive to give back to the web developer community. Other efforts include:

- Opera Dragonfly, the set of on-board developer tools available in Opera's desktop browser.- Open the Web, a cross-disciplinary team that works directly with web developers to help them build sites that work across browsers and devices.- Opera Mobile Emulator, a version of Opera Mobile that runs on desktop PCs to allow for faster development and smooth testing of sites on mobile devices.

"The Web works best when it works everywhere," said Christen Krogh, Chief Development Officer, Opera Software. "OperaWatir and OperaDriver represent another step in making that a reality. At the same time, we can help developers spend less time testing and more time doing what they love. Everyone wins, and the Web takes a step forward in cross-browser compatibility."

Opera Software ASA has redefined web browsing for PCs, mobile phones and other networked devices. Opera's cross-platform web-browser technology is renowned for its performance, standards compliance and small size, while giving users a faster, safer and more dynamic online experience. Opera Software is headquartered in Oslo, Norway, with offices around the world. The company is listed on the Oslo Stock Exchange under the ticker symbol OPERA. Learn more about Opera at http://www.opera.com/.